Djokovic marks Italian teenager Jannik Sinner as a potential number one

Novak Djokovic feels Italian teenager Jannik Sinner leads the pack of ‘Next Gen’ gamers with the potential of turning into a future world primary, the Serbian mentioned in any case however securing his year-end high rating with a win in Vienna on Wednesday.

Djokovic saved 4 set factors within the opener towards Croatia’s Borna Coric to win 7-6(11) 6-Three to succeed in the third spherical of the Erste Bank Open within the Austrian capital. The win meant that the 17-time Grand Slam winner might solely be stopped from tying Pete Sampras’ document of ending as 12 months finish No.1 for the sixth time if Rafael Nadal accepts a wild card in competing in Sofia subsequent month.

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The 19-year-old Sinner received the Next Gen ATP Finals in 2019 and is at present at a career-high rating of 43, having reached his maiden Grand Slam quarter ultimate at this month’s French Open.

“I definitely see a lot of quality in the young players,” mentioned Djokovic. “(Sinner) definitely possesses a game that is powerful and is with a lot of quality, and you can say he has the potential to be a top player of the world. Sinner is definitely, I would say, the leader of the guys younger than (Alexander) Zverev and (Stefanos) Tsitsipas, who I think by many experts’ opinions the next ‘top’ top player.”

German Zverev, aged 23, reached the U.S. Open ultimate in New York and is a 12 months older than Greek Tsitsipas they usually have received the earlier two editions of the season-ending ATP Finals, the largest occasion in males’s tennis outdoors the Slams.

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Djokovic felt the duo are already established gamers and would want to maintain their performances over a interval to wrest the highest rating.

“Many things have to come together in a career and life of a tennis player in order for him to be able to find his best and maximise his potential and to thrive every single year. And to endure, because I think you have a much better chance to have a great Grand Slam or a great season. But can you endure for three, four, five, 10 years? Fifteen years?” Djokovic mentioned.